Obesity in Prediabetic Patients: Management of Metabolic Complications and Strategies for Prevention of Overt Diabetes.

Obesity and prediabetes affect a substantial part of the general population, but are largely underdiagnosed, underestimated, and undertreated. Prediabetes differs from diabetes only in the degree of hyperglycaemia consequent to the progressive decline in residual beta-cell function. Both prediabetes and diabetes occur as a consequence of insulin resistance that starts several years before the clinical onset of overt diabetes. Macrovascular complications in patients with diabetes are mainly caused by insulin resistance. This is why in prediabetes, the overall cardiovascular risk is, by all means, similar to that in patients with diabetes. It is important, therefore, to identify prediabetes and treat patients not only to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes, but to reduce the cardiovascular risk associated with prediabetes. This review provides an overview of the pathophysiology of prediabetes in patients with obesity and the progression toward overt diabetes. We have reviewed nutritional and pharmacological approaches to the management of obesity and reduced glucose tolerance, and the treatment of the major comorbidities in these patients, including hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and Metabolic dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), has also been reviewed. In patients with obesity and prediabetes, the nutritional approach is similar to that adopted for patients with obesity and diabetes; treatments of dyslipidaemia and hypertension also have the same targets compared to patients with diabetes. MASLD is a critical issue in these patients; in the prediabetic state, MASLD rarely progresses into fibrosis. This highlights the importance of the early recognition of this pathological condition before patients become diabetic when the risk of fibrosis is much higher. It is necessary to raise awareness of the clinical relevance of this pathological condition in order to prompt early intervention before complications occur. The single most important therapeutic goal is weight loss, which must be early and persistent.

Analysis of Short-Term and Stable DNA Damage in Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Treated with 131I in Hypothyroidism or with Recombinant Human Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone for Remnant Ablation.

It is well known that ionizing radiation can induce genetic damage and that oxidative stress is a major factor inducing it. Our aim was to investigate whether thyroid remnant ablation with low activities of 131I (1,850 MBq) is associated with DNA damage by evaluating the CometAssay, micronuclei, and chromosome aberrations with multicolor fluorescent in situ hybridization. Methods: We studied 62 patients prepared with recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone (rhTSH) or by thyroid hormone withdrawal. In both groups, we analyzed stable and unstable genetic alterations before 131I therapy and 1 wk and 3 mo after 131I administration. We also correlated the genetic damage with several variables, including the degree of radiation-induced oxidative stress, genetic polymorphisms of enzymes involved in DNA repair, and antioxidative stress. Results: We found a comparable amount of DNA breaks evaluated by CometAssay and micronuclei testing in both groups of patients at different time points, but there was a significant increase in stable chromosome aberrations evaluated by multicolor fluorescent in situ hybridization (breaks and translocations) in patients prepared with thyroid hormone withdrawal. Overall, high chromosome damage was associated with higher retained body radioactivity and unfavorable gene polymorphism. A high level of free oxygen radicals and a low level of antioxidants were found in all patients at any time point. In particular, patients prepared with thyroid hormone withdrawal, at 3 mo, had significantly higher levels of free oxygen radicals than those prepared with rhTSH. Conclusion: An increase in stable chromosome aberrations with respect to baseline is detectable after administration of low doses of 131I in patients prepared with thyroid hormone withdrawal but not in patients prepared with rhTSH. The clinical significance of these chromosomal alterations remains to be determined.

Obesity management: Attitudes and practice of Italian endocrinologists.

Introduction: Obesity is a global pandemic and is cause of serious concern in all regions of the world. It is important to raise the attention of health care professionals in order to provide early treatment of patients with obesity. Obesity management, however, varies greatly amongst endocrinologists with respect to attitudes to diagnosis and treatment. Aim of this study was to identify practices and needs of Italian endocrinologists with respect to people with obesity. Methods: In this study, all members of the Italian Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AME) were invited to participate in a web-based survey concerning the management of obesity. Results: The response rate was 24.1% (542/2248). Nutritional and obesity problems were reported as major areas of interest by 29.4% of the participants. A large proportion of patients seeking an endocrine consultation for other reasons are affected by obesity, but one in five respondents addressed the issue in 25% or less of the cases, while one in three always dealt with the problem. Obesity was managed personally/within a dedicated team by 42.6% of participants, while the remainders referred the patient to a dietician/nutritionist or a 2nd level center for obesity therapy. Metformin was used in a median of 30% of the patients (Interquartile range: 10-50) and liraglutide in 10% of the cases (IQR 0-30), while orlistat (median 0%; IQR 0-10) and naltrexone/bupropion (median 0%; IQR 0-5) were seldom prescribed. Cost of therapy was considered as the major limitation to the use of anti-obesity drugs, affecting adherence to long-term treatment. According to 41.9% of respondents, psychological support should be offered to all patients with obesity. Finally, 56% of participants believe that the availability of new drugs will increase the number of patients candidate to drug therapy. Discussion: In conclusion, it is of primary importance to raise the awareness of endocrinologists towards the problem of obesity and increase their confidence in managing this pathological condition.

Development of the Italian Clinical Practice Guidelines on Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery: Design and Methodological Aspects.

Development of the Italian clinical practice guidelines on bariatric and metabolic surgery, as well as design and methodological aspects. BACKGROUND: Obesity and its complications are a growing problem in many countries. Italian Society of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery for Obesity (Società Italiana di Chirurgia dell'Obesità e delle Malattie Metaboliche-SICOB) developed the first Italian guidelines for the treatment of obesity. METHODS: The creation of SICOB Guidelines is based on an extended work made by a panel of 24 members and a coordinator. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) methodology has been used to decide the aims, reference population, and target health professionals. Clinical questions have been created using the PICO (Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) conceptual framework. The definition of questions used the two-step web-based Delphi method, made by repeated rounds of questionnaires and a consensus opinion from the panel. RESULTS: The panel proposed 37 questions. A consensus was immediately reached for 33 (89.2%), with 31 approved, two rejected and three which did not reach an immediate consensus. The further discussion allowed a consensus with one approved and two rejected. CONCLUSIONS: The areas covered by the clinical questions included indications of metabolic/bariatric surgery, types of surgery, and surgical management. The choice of a surgical or a non-surgical approach has been debated for the determination of the therapeutic strategy and the correct indications.

Detection of insulitis by pancreatic scintigraphy with 99mTc-labeled IL-2 and MRI in patients with LADA (Action LADA 10).

OBJECTIVE: Pancreatic scintigraphy with interleukin-2 radiolabeled with (99m)Tc ((99m)Tc-IL-2) is a technique used to image chronic inflammatory-mediated disorders. We used this method to detect a signal consistent with the presence of insulitis in patients with autoimmune diabetes. Positive and negative controls (patients with pancreatic carcinoma and type 2 diabetes, respectively) also were studied. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We examined 25 patients with autoimmune diabetes (16 with recently diagnosed type 1 diabetes, 9 with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults [LADA]), 6 with type 2 diabetes, and 7 with pancreatic carcinoma (the latter two groups were used as negative and positive controls, respectively). All patients underwent (99m)Tc-IL-2 scintigraphy and contrast-enhanced MRI of the pancreas. To validate positive controls, samples were taken from patients with pancreatic carcinoma during surgery for histological and immunohistochemical investigations. RESULTS: Pancreatic accumulation of (99m)Tc-IL-2 was detected in patients with autoimmune diabetes (61% positive) and, notably, in 6 of 9 patients with LADA; semiquantitative evaluation of pancreatic uptake of (99m)Tc-IL-2 showed higher values in patients with autoimmune diabetes (both childhood and LADA) and pancreatic carcinoma than in those with type 2 diabetes (4.45 ± 1.99, 4.79 ± 1.1, and 4.54 ± 1.62 vs. 2.81 ± 0.63; P = 0.06, P = 0.01, and P = 0.04, respectively). In patients with pancreatic carcinoma, pancreatic interleukin-2 receptor expression correlated with pancreatic (99m)Tc-IL-2 uptake (r = 0.8; P = 0.01). In patients with LADA, (99m)Tc-IL-2 uptake inversely correlated with duration of disease (r = 0.7; P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Autoimmune diabetes in adults is associated with increased pancreatic (99m)Tc-IL-2 uptake, indicating the presence of insulitis, particularly within 1 year of the beginning of insulin therapy, similar to type 1 diabetes at diagnosis.

Ultrasound-guided laser ablation of incidental papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: a potential therapeutic approach in patients at surgical risk.

BACKGROUND: Incidental papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), a frequent clinical problem, is usually associated with a favorable outcome. During long-term follow-up, only a minority of cases show aggressive behavior with either lymph node or distant metastases. Recently, we had an opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of nonsurgical, ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous laser ablation (PLA) for local treatment of PTMC in an otherwise inoperable patient. PATIENT AND METHODS: Neck US examination revealed an incidental, solitary, 8 × 7 × 7 mm hypoechoic nodule with microcalcifications of the right thyroid lobe. The patient suffered from decompensated liver cirrhosis, renal failure, and recent surgery followed by external beam radiation therapy for breast cancer. Cytologic diagnosis showed papillary thyroid carcinoma, but the patient declined surgery because of high risk of thyroid surgery. After local anesthesia with 2% xylocaine, PLA was performed according to the previously reported procedure with an Nd:YAG laser. SUMMARY: The procedure was well tolerated, without side effects, and the patient required no analgesics. US-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy and core-needle biopsy were performed at 1 and 12 months after PLA, which demonstrated necrotic material and inflammatory cells with no viable neoplastic cell. At the 24 months US follow-up examination, the area of necrosis further decreased, demonstrating a 4 × 4 mm hypoechoic zone and a small hyperechoic area due to fibrotic changes. A fine-needle aspiration biopsy confirmed the absence of malignant cells. CONCLUSIONS: Laser-induced thermal ablation was a safe and effective ablative treatment for a patient with PTMC confined to the thyroid gland who was at high surgical risk. This approach should be considered only in elderly patients and/or in those with comorbidities that might expose the patients to an undue high surgical risk and only after the evaluation by neck US, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or positron emission tomography/computed tomography rules out lymph-node involvement or metastatic disease.

Synthesis and optimization of the labeling procedure of 99mTc-HYNIC-interleukin-2 for in vivo imaging of activated T lymphocytes.

INTRODUCTION: We have previously described the labeling of interleukin-2 (IL2) with (123)I and (99m)Tc-N(3)S. Both radiopharmaceuticals were successfully applied in humans to image several inflammatory lesions and autoimmune diseases characterized by tissue infiltrating lymphocytes expressing the IL2 receptor (CD25). However, both radiopharmaceuticals had some specific disadvantages, such as cost and time of synthesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here, we describe a new improved method for labeling interleukin-2 with (99m)Tc using HYNIC-NHS and tricine as coligand. Several optimizations of reagent concentrations and labeling conditions were performed in order to standardize the procedure. After labeling, IL2 was purified by tC2 reverse-phase chromatography and tested in vitro and in vivo, in mice and in a normal volunteer. Results showed that this labeling procedure is cheap, fast, reliable, and reproducible, leading to a product with high specific activity (153 µCi/µg), high stability and capable of binding in vitro to CD25 positive cells. In vivo biodistribution in mice and human volunteer did not show any significant different from (99m)Tc-N(3)S-IL2. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the optimization of (99m)Tc-HYNIC-IL2 has a great advantage in terms of cost and time of production and a simple kit formulation can be considered for routine application to study patients affected by autoimmune diseases, graft rejection, or other chronic inflammatory disorders.

Nuclear medicine imaging of diabetic foot infection: results of meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Osteomyelitis of the foot is the most commonly encountered complication in diabetic patients. Nuclear medicine techniques are usually complementary to radiology in the diagnosis of foot infections; they play an important role in various clinical situations. The aim of this study was to develop a practical guideline to describe the radiopharmaceuticals to be used for different clinical conditions and different aims in diabetic foot infection. METHODS: In this study, we reviewed 57 papers (published between 1982 and 2004; 50 original papers and seven reviews) that described the imaging of the diabetic foot and examined a total of 2889 lesions. We performed data analysis to establish which imaging technique could be used as a 'gold standard' to diagnose infection, evaluate the extent of disease and monitor the efficacy of therapy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We provide a guideline to assist in the selection of the optimal radiopharmaceuticals for different clinical conditions and different aims.

99mTc-interleukin-2 scintigraphy as a potential tool for evaluating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in melanoma lesions: a validation study.

UNLABELLED: Cutaneous melanoma is often characterized by the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). The degree of such infiltration and cell activation are considered significant prognostic factors reflecting the host's immune response to the tumor; thus, patients with peritumoral infiltration may have a better prognosis and may also achieve a better response to interleukin-2 (IL2) immunotherapy. There is evidence that the expression of cluster designation (CD) 25 antigen (IL2 receptor [IL2R]) is a good marker of activity of T lymphocytes against melanoma cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vivo the binding of 99mTc-IL2 to lymphocytes infiltrating cutaneous melanoma and to determine whether such uptake correlates with immunologic and histologic data, thus providing useful prognostic information for IL2 therapy in patients with advanced disease. METHODS: Thirty patients with cutaneous lesions suspected of being melanoma were studied. Planar gamma-camera images over known tumor sites were acquired 1 h after the injection of 111-185 MBq of 99mTc-IL2. Tumor uptake of 99mTc-IL2 was measured as a target-to-background (T/B) radioactivity ratio. All patients underwent surgery, and histologic evaluation of the resected lesion was performed. The percentage of different peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD25) and the percentage of IL2R-positive tumor cells on histologic sections were also measured. RESULTS: At final histology, 21 lesions were found to be melanoma and 9 were classified as benign. In 15 of 21 (71%) melanomas and 2 of 9 (22%) benign cutaneous lesions, we found uptake of 99mTc-IL2. The calculated T/B ratios correlated significantly with the number of IL2R-positive TILs. CONCLUSION: 99mTc-IL2 scintigraphy provides a means of in vivo measurement of the extent of tumor infiltration of IL2R-positive cells, thereby providing valuable prognostic information for selection of patients who may benefit from IL2 immunotherapy.

99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC in the management of medullary thyroid carcinoma.

An early diagnosis of distant metastases or local recurrences of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) can be achieved by several conventional radiological modalities (e.g., ultrasonography, computed tomography [CT], and magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] as well as by radioisotopic procedures, such as positron emission tomography (PET), scintigraphy with different types of radiopharmaceuticals, and radiolabeled receptor-ligands in particular. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of 99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC, a new octreotide derivative, to detect recurrences of disease or distant metastases in MTC. Images obtained of 5 patients with high levels of serum calcitonin were compared to findings obtained with other diagnostic procedures: 111In-octreotide, 99mTc-DMSA-V, 18F-flouro-D-deoxyglucose-PET, and CT/MRI. 99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC was positive in all patients and showed 15 areas of pathological uptake in the cervical and mediastinal regions. 111In-octreotide was positive in 3 of 3 patients and showed 4 areas, compared to 8 of 99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC. 99mTc-V-DMSA was positive in 3 of 4 patients but showed 6 pathological areas, compared to 13 of 99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC. 18F-FDG-PET was positive in 5 of 5 patients but showed only 11 areas, compared to 15 of 99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC. The CT scan was positive in only 2 patients. In conclusion, 99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC detected more sites of pathological uptake than other modalities, showed better imaging properties than 111In-octreotide, and might be the radiopharmaceutical of choice for providing a rationale for radioisotopic therapy.

Radioiodinated recombinant human TSH: a novel radiopharmaceutical for thyroid cancer metastases detection.

UNLABELLED: The follow-up of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is currently performed by serum Tg levels determination and whole body scan (WBS) with 131I. In this regard, the latter represents the main tool to localize metastatic tissue, but is characterized by the induction of severe hypothyroidism. Moreover, WBS displays poor sensitivity in poorly differentiated tumors due to a loss of iodine uptake capacity. AIM: In this study we describe an alternative tracer, radiolabeled rhTSH, for the diagnosis of non-iodine uptaking DTC metastases. METHODS: rhTSH was iodinated with 125I or 123I using an enzymatic method with lactoperoxidase/glucose oxidase. In vitro stability of labeled compounds was assessed in saline and serum and in vivo studies were performed in tumor-bearing nude mice. Three mice were inoculated with ARO cells (TSH receptor negative) and three with PTC-1 cells (TSH receptor positive). After 25 days, mice were injected with 10 microg of 123I-rhTSH (100 microCi) and static images were acquired at 30 minutes, 1, 2, and 3 hours. Animals were then sacrificed and dissected for organ counting. RESULTS: RhTSH was radioiodinated to high specific activity: 132.2 mCi/mg for 123I-rhTSH, 94.3 for 125I-rhTSH. In vitro stability tests revealed no significant release of radioiodine. A clear tumor uptake was detectable after 2 hours in all animals implanted with PTC-1. CONCLUSION: Results obtained so far suggest that radiolabeled rhTSH might be a promising radiopharmaceutical for diagnosis and follow-up of DTC.

99mTc-interleukin-2 and (99m)Tc-HMPAO granulocyte scintigraphy in patients with inactive Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that may involve the whole gut. Marked intestinal T cell and macrophage activation is a key feature of the disease. Polymorphonuclear cell infiltration is also observed in the diseased gut, mainly during active inflammation. Scintigraphic detection of granulocytes and activated lymphocytes infiltrating the gut wall may be useful in identifying a subgroup of patients with clinically inactive CD who are undergoing early clinical relapse. The aims of the present study were (a) to compare the effectiveness of scintigraphy with (99m)Tc-labelled interleukin-2 ((99m)Tc-IL2) and with (99m)Tc-HMPAO labelled granulocytes ((99m)Tc-WBC) in detecting the presence and extent of bowel inflammation in patients with long-term inactive CD (>12 months) and (b) to assess the accuracy of these techniques in predicting future disease relapse. We studied 29 patients with ileal and/or colonic CD in stable clinical remission (Crohn's Disease Activity Index <150 for at least 12 months) using both (99m)Tc-IL2 and (99m)Tc-WBC scintigraphy in order to evaluate the extent of acute and chronic inflammation in the bowel. Planar and single-photon emission tomography images were acquired in each patient at 1 h p.i. For quantitative analysis of (99m)Tc-IL2 uptake, the abdomen was divided into 32 regions of interest. Despite the absence of symptoms, 18 patients (62%) showed a positive (99m)Tc-IL2 and 18 (62%) a positive (99m)Tc-WBC scan. Only 12 patients (41.4% of the total group) were positive on both scans, and the sites of IL2 and granulocyte bowel uptake were usually located in different segments, indicating that in CD, acute and chronic inflammation can be present in different sites. As far as the prognostic role of the two scans in predicting future disease relapse is concerned, both (99m)Tc-IL2 and (99m)Tc-WBC scintigraphy showed a high negative predictive value (1.00 and 0.91, respectively) but a weak positive predictive value (0.44 and 0.39, respectively). Nevertheless, Kaplan-Meier curves generated between scintigraphic findings and time free from disease relapse were statistically different only for (99m)Tc-IL2 scintigraphy (log-rank test, P=0.013). These results indicate that (99m)Tc-IL2 scintigraphy can be useful in selecting CD patients in clinical remission who could benefit from preventive therapy to avoid disease relapse.

Biological imaging for the diagnosis of inflammatory conditions.

Radiopharmaceuticals used for in vivo imaging of inflammatory conditions can be conveniently classified into six categories according to the different phases in which the inflammatory process develops. The trigger of an inflammatory process is a pathogenic insult (phase I) that causes activation of endothelial cells (phase II); there is then an increase of vascular permeability followed by tissue oedema (phase III). Phase IV is characterised by infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells, and a self-limiting regulatory process called apoptosis is observed (phase V). If the inflammatory process persists, late chronic inflammation takes place (phase VI). In some pathological conditions, such as organ-specific autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammation is present early in the disease. The aim of nuclear medicine in the field of inflammation/infection is to develop noninvasive tools for the in vivo detection of specific cells and tissues. This would allow early diagnosis of initial pathophysiological changes that are undetectable by clinical examination or by other diagnostic tools, and could also be used to evaluate the state of activity of the disease during therapy. These potential applications are of great interest in clinical practice. In this review, we describe the various approaches that have been developed in the last 25 years of experience. Recent advances in the diagnosis of inflammatory processes have led to the development of specific radiopharmaceuticals that are intended to allow specific stage-related diagnosis.